WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS for Titans season 4, episode 6.James Scully, who plays Bernard Fitzmartin in Titans season 4, discusses the importance of bringing LGBT+ representation to the HBO Max drama and his passion for the Teen Titans mythology. Titans season 4 has gotten into the depth of the massive Brother Blood storyline. The midseason finale saw Sebastian Sanger fully accept his reluctant destiny in an attempt to do it for his Titans friends.
As of the new big characters who entered Titans season 4, Bernard serves as the Director of Special Projects at S.T.A.R. Labs. While assisting the Titans, Scully's character has created a romantic bond with the newest recruit on the team, Tim Drake. For Titans, this is the first major LGBT+ couple that has been featured in the series, and the HBO Max drama is bringing one of the biggest elements of the Boy Wonder's DC mythology to the screen.
As Titans season 4, part 1 finale has arrived on HBO Max, Screen Rant recently had the great opportunity to chat with Scully about entering the DC TV series as Bernard. Throughout the interview, the You and Heathers star opened up on his personal Teen Titans passion long before booking the gig on Titans. With Bernard's big ties to Tim in the comics, Scully also chatted about the importance of getting to bring LGBT+ representation in Titans season 4.
James Scully On Bringing Bernard Into Titans Season 4
Screen Rant: James, I am a huge fan. I loved You season 2. When I saw you joining Titans, I went, "Oh my god, Forty is coming to the DC Universe!" Were you a big DC Comics fan before you joined the show?
James Scully: Yes, and I was specifically a big Teen Titans fan. The job is a dream come true for me. When I think about if I could go back in time and tell a 13-year-old me, "Hey, you're going to be in the live-action Teen Titans show, and you're going to be playing the love interest of a superhero," I think his head would have exploded!
That's amazing to hear! Can you talk about your audition process? Did you know it was Bernard, or did you find out when you booked it?
James Scully: There was some reading between the lines that had to happen when looking at the sides. The two scenes I used to audition [with] weren't even necessarily the things that ended up in the series because they don't want to give you samples of scripts or anything that might happen in the show. It was funny trying to figure out, "Okay, who is this actually? Who am I talking to in these scenes?" [It was about figuring out] what the code it was that was being used.
But actually, on the original sides, I think the character's name was Bernard. It wasn't Bernard Fitzmartin, but it was Bernard. I knew immediately, and then when my team reached out, they were like, "We're pretty sure that this is what they're doing." I sent them my audition. It was one of those things I did that I didn't really think about it, and then heard pretty quickly that they were interested. That's when the conversation [happened]. Just before I decided to take the job, I did get to talk with one of the writers who definitely nailed down, "This is who you're playing. This is what the character arc is going to be." I was so excited; I couldn't wait to get started.
This is obviously a huge deal because I remember when the director posted a photo of you and Jay [Lycurgo, who plays Tim Drake] from the set. Everyone was speculating if you were Roy Harper, Bernard, or someone else. Did you ever see some of the fan theories?
James Scully: No, I got an email from Titans being like, "Hey, we totally understand the director posted a photo. Luckily, there's nothing, and if it's too revealing, please don't go forward with anything from the set or say anything about who your character is." But that photo definitely peeked [interest.] I started getting a lot of DMs, and everybody thought I was going to be [Roy Harper] I felt bad. I was like, "I wish I could tell you I was going to be Roy Harper, guys! I know you've been waiting for him. But it's not me." But I didn't reply to any of those.
It's funny to think of what you don't think of as spoilers, including little costume pieces or a wig change. Anytime anybody was in costume when we were on set, I wasn't posting at all. I wasn't taking photos myself. I was always in the show wearing a little lanyard that said Bernard Fitzmartin on the bottom, and I always had to be sure if they recorded anything, I covered that because I didn't want to give it away. It was definitely a relief when they finally announced who I was playing, and the fans of the comics were able to connect the dots on that.
I'm assuming that when the season is over, you will go on a big Instagram posting spree of everything you had months ago!
James Scully: [I will do] photo dumps! I'm going to wait, though because knowing me, I would post something that somebody would be a spoiler. [For example] for the midseason finale, I [wouldn't want to accidentally] spoil some beautiful surprise that the writers created later in the season.
A huge reason I got so excited about Bernard coming to the show is, as a bisexual man myself, I always look for more LGBT+ representation in media. This is the first time we have had an LGBT+ couple on Titans. When Tim came out in the comics, it was huge, and now we get to see it on the show. How was that for you as an actor getting to bring that to life?
James Scully: It was a dream come true, it really was, and I'm not just saying it for clout or to make the fans happy. I loved the show when I was younger. I really felt like the Titans. It was one of the first shows and one of the first comics that I read and watched where it wasn't Batman and Superman; they weren't adults; they were my age. They were struggling with things {such as] relationships, parents, identity, feeling alienated, and feeling loss. That time as an adolescent, as a closeted adolescent, I was dealing with, and I felt seen and felt that I have struggles in common with these characters. Maybe I can also be brave, noble, and selfless like they are too. I really looked to them for comfort, and back at that time, I was still in the phase of my life where I was like, 'I'm probably never going to tell anybody that I'm gay; I'm probably just going to keep that to myself for as long as possible and figure it out as I get older.'
To be way on the other side of that journey and to be in this show, playing this character, having this relationship, and knowing that a bunch of people like me - this is the hope when we create this kind of work - are going to watch it and feel supported, seen, loved and validated the way that I did by those characters when I was younger. But even more comprehensively, because, as you said, this is the real representation; this is a shift in this canon. It means the world to me; I try not to think about it too much on set. Because when you're going out to shoot the scenes, if you are in your head [thinking], "This is a critical moment for queer [representation!]" It can get a little stressful when you're trying to stay present with the people in the room. But I remember, there are a couple of scenes in episode 6 after Jay and I have our big, romantic moment, where it was us just chatting and [being] a little cute and flirty.
I remember walking off set that day, and Jay was really happy because he felt we were finally getting into the meat of the relationship. In terms of acting, he was like, "We really crushed that scene. I feel I had a really good acting day." I remember walking back with the cast and getting a little misty-eyed thinking about it. They're also lovely and supportive. Anna [Diop, who plays Starfire] and Teagan [Croft, who plays Raven] were like, "Are you okay? What's wrong?" If young me could see me now and knew what I was doing, [to see] how excited you would be and how excited some of the young people watching this show are going to be when they get to see that moment. I could talk about this forever! [laughs]
I'm so happy that this was so fulfilling for both of you, and I know it will likely be for a lot of fans as well. I need the rest to come out as soon as possible, given all those cliffhangers! What is coming up for Bernard, and how does he deal with the Titans going forward?
James Scully: Now that's no longer a "Will they or won't they?" and it's a "They will!" for Tim and Bernard... No relationship is without its challenges. The challenge here is that my new boyfriend is frequently running off to join fights to the death against cults, witches, and Trigon! As one does! I believe in the mission right and the work the Titans do. I want to support them and so trying to balance that instinct with the instinct, I have to be like, "No, Tim needs to be as far away from this as possible! You need to spend another 100 years training with your bo-staff, and then maybe I feel comfortable with you going out into battle." [laughs]
But I'm not the team leader and not his boss. I'm not Batman. It's a lot of conflicting impulses, and I think we will watch that play out for the rest of the season. I think for Bernard, it's a lot about trying to be close and wanting to be close to Tim but also sometimes holding it at arm's length because he's afraid of getting hurt. He's afraid of Tim getting hurt. As spicy as episode 6 was, the stakes are only going to get higher as the season moves along. I obviously can't be specific about anything. But the momentum continues forward, and it gets more complicated for Tim and Bernard as it would for a super scientist and his superhero boyfriend.
Bernard has been hooking up the Titans with a lot of things from STAR Labs. What are the chances that he might get Tim set up with a suit, a certain Robin costume?
James Scully: I don't know if that will happen. I guess you will just have to wait patiently and then watch those final six episodes and see what happens! [laughs]
What do you have coming up that you are working on besides promoting Titans?
âââââââJames Scully: Right now, I get to enjoy a holiday break, and then I have some things [that] I'm not allowed to talk about, actually. But I have some fun stuff coming up in the new year that I'm really excited to shoot. I'm about to start promoting a film that's going to come out in the fall, which still doesn't have a title. Julio Torres, through A24, is making his theatrical debut. But through January, I'm lucky I get to celebrate the holidays and relax. I actually haven't watched the season as it's been coming out. But I imagined here in December, I'll probably, at some point, binge-watch episodes 1-6 and then the rest of the season.
Do we have a name for them yet? What's their couple's name? I'm going to go with #Bim, short and sweet.
âââââââJames Scully: Hmm, I am not sure. Let the fans do that! [laughs]
What do you think the chances are that you will be back for Titans season 5 if there is one?
âââââââJames Scully: Playing this role was such a dream come true. I would be delighted to get to spend another couple of months working with these people because I can't emphasize enough [they are] such a great group. They really have put together a team of superheroes, and I would love to get in there again and save the world with my boyfriend.
About Titans Season 4
Having saved Gotham, the Titans hit the road to head back to San Francisco. But after a stop in Metropolis, they find themselves in the crosshairs of a supernatural cult with powers unlike anything they've faced before.
Check out our Titans season 4 interviews with:
- Joseph Morgan (Sebastian Sanger/Brother Blood)
- Showrunner/Executive Producer Greg Walker
- Lisa Ambalavanar (Jinx)
- Costume Designer Nola Chaters
Titans season 4, part 1, is now streaming on HBO Max, with part 2 set to drop sometime in 2023.